Ments



S. LOE.

PRIMARY ELECTI'ON MECHANISM FOR venue MACHINES.

APPLICATQN FILED MAY 24, 1911. I 1,305, 1 34;. Patented May 27, 1919.

6 SHEETSSHEET 1 INVE/V 7-0/3 5 I? L05 W/ T/VES 5 E5.

\ BY #15 HTTO/i/VEYS I wwvww S. LOE.

PRIMARY ELECTION MECHANISM FOR vun'we MACHIINES. APPLICATION FILED MAY 4] 1917. 1,305,134. V Patented May 27, 1919.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2- REPUBL lCflN INVENTO/P. WITNESSES. SYVE/i 40s. J). of. 5) H15 fiTTO/iNEYS.

z ww/ I MMMVZET S. LOE.

PRIMARY ELECTION MECHANISM FOR VOTING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED MAY 24 1911.

1,305, 1 34. Patented May 27, 1919.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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S. LOE.

PRIMARY ELECTION MECHANISM FOR VOTING MACHINES.

Patented May 27, 1919 6 SHEETSSHEET 4.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1917. 1,305,134.

I VE/V TOR,

5 E S S M T W 5YVEH L05.

.5) H15 HTTORNEYS.

cu PNOIDL' S. LOE. PMMARY ELECTION MECHANISM FOR VOTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION HLED MAY 24. 1917. 1,305,1 34. Patented May 27,1919.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

. IN VEN TOR. WITNESS E5.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SYVER LOE, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO LOE MULTIPLEX VOTING MACHINE COMPANY, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, A CORPORATION OF MINNESOTA.

PRIMARY-ELECTION MECHANISM FOR VOTING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 27, 1919.

Application filed May 24, 1917. Serial No. 170,724.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SYVER Lon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Primary-Election Mechanism for Voting-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to .be a full, clear, a and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its object to provide a novel primary election mechanism for voting machines, and to such ends generally stated, the invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

The principal object of my present invention is to provide a machine adapted for use at primary elections, which, in many districts and in some States, are required to be carried out on the so-called Australian system of voting. More specifically stated, at these primary elections, the candidates for the various offices must be determined beforehand by certain rules, not necessary here to consider, and they must be represented on a prepared ticket and tlievoter must cast his vote within a booth or in private. The chief difference in the manner of voting at a primary election and at a final election is that the voter in the former instance must select his political party and 1 ion application filed of even date herewith and entitled Voting machine;

Fig. 2 1s a fragmentary view in front elevation with some parts sectioned and some parts broken away, showing the lower portion ofthe keyboard and cooperating mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a plan showing a section of the upper portion of the keyboard and frame, some parts being broken away and some parts being removed;

shown in Figs. 4, 6 and 7 Fig. 9 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is a section on the line 10-10 of Fig. 2.

In Figs. 8 and 9, the cover plate is shown as straightened out, but when applied to the machine, as shown in the views noted, it will follow the curve on the outer portion of the lower frame section of the keyboard mechanism.

In the machine illustrated, the keyboard framework is made up of a multiplicity of interlocking blocks, an upper frame and a lower frame. The said interlocking blocks which are indicated as entireties by the numeral 10, may be, and preferably are of the character disclosed and claimed in my companion application filed of even date herewith and entitled Keyboard mechanism. The said lower frame, as shown, is a curved or segmental structure made up of vertically spaced horizontal plates 11 and upright connecting brackets 12. The upper frame of the keyboard mechanism, likewise, is made up of vertically spaced horizontal plates 13 and upright connecting brackets 14. The register actuators, are also preferably of the character disclosed and claimed in my said companion application entitled fKeybcard mechanism and they are combined with expansible vote 'limitingdevices,

preferably of the character disclosed'in the,

said application.

\Vhen the machine is adjusted for use at general elections where mixed tickets can be voted, all of the actuators of the several columns or vertical groups mustbe released so that the voter may manipulate any there: of, subject only to the limitations imposed by theproperly adjusted vote limiting 'devices. The actuators assignedrto any particular otfiee will be in thesame vertical column, or, if in two columns, the two columns must be connected to operate the one-as a continuation of the other. FOPQX- ample, in considering the three vertical rows of register actuators shown in Fig. 2, the row at the left may be assumed to be used for nonpartisan candidates, or to the voting of questions, such as constitutiona'l amendments, and the like; the "row at the center may be assumed to be used for the Republican party; and the row at the right for the Democratic-party.

Each register actuator (see particu'larly Fig. 10) is made up of a finger-actuated lever 15, a register actuating lever 16,an

adjustingcollar 17, and a hub .18. g The expansible vote limitmg'devieecoinprising eXternally-threadedhubs 19 and internally threaded sleeve members 20. The hubs "18 are fitted to slide vertically on angular "shafts- 21 mounted in the two lower frame plates 11 and'in the lowerof the upper frame plates 13. The upper and lower ends of these shafts 21 are made round and "spur "pinions 22 are secured to the rounded upper ends of said shaft-s (see Figs. and'l'). Each lever 16 has slotted a'im'in which works a campin 23 carried by 'aprojecting arm'of-thecooperating lever 15. Each lever '15 "has a lock lug'24andeach hub has a projecting lock lug 25 that is arranged I to engage with a depending lug26carried by each I cooperating overlying lever 15. Theadjusting collars 17 may be'assu'med' to befiXed to the levers l6, and-they have interlocking engagement-for common rotation with the cooperating 'internally thre aded sleeve inembers'20, but the-latter may move vertically in'respect tro'theformer and in respect to the said members 16. I V

- For each vertical stack of levers 15, there is a notched lock bar 27. These look bars 27 are mounted to slide 'y' ertic'ally through suitable guideways '28 formed in the assembled blocks '10.- Each lock bar27'l1as a lug 127 one for each lever, and in the no-rmal posi tions of said bars, thesaid lugs are ali'ned with the lugs-24 of therespective levers 15, so as to thereby lock the said levers 15, and

hence, the register actuators, in their normal or. inoperative positions. The normal position of the register actuator is shown at the left inFig. 10, and the set or operative position thereof is indicated at the right in Fig. 10.

The lower end of each lock bar 27 is connected by a link 29 to an oscillatory head or tumbler 30 which has a weighted or heavy side 30%. This head 30 is secured on a short shaft3l j ournaled in the lower brackets 12 and in its outer end having a recessed angular seat 31 with which a key or wrench may be engaged tO'OSOllliltG the same. Each oscillating head 30 is provided with a cam lug 30* thatis engagedby a cam wheel 32 "loosely mounted on the rounded lower end 21 ofthe corresponding re-setting shaft 21.

shaft-21 aradial-arm 35 :(see Figs. 2, 4 and *7) WlllCll hasa vertical pin 36 that operates as a'dog 0n the cooperating ratchet -wheel32. V

On'the inner end of each shaft 31 is a head 37 having a lock tooth 37 and a diametrically opposite flange. with perforation 37 and pin 37 The'so-called 'lock tooth of'ea'ch head 37 is engageable with a cooperating notch 38 formed in a curvedlock bar 39th-at is slidable in suitableguides on the lower plate 11.

At one end, "the look bar 39 has a beveled cam notch40 and a rectangular lock notch 41. *For co-op-elatioiiwitli the notches 40 and 41, I provide a vertically movable lock bolt (see Figs. '4 and 7). This lock bolt 42, at its upper and lowerends, has guide pins working through plates 11 and upper ant 'lowe'rbearing blocks 43, and it has a laterally projecti-ng'lockipin 44 for cooperation with the notches 40 and 41 of bar 39. The lock "bolt42 has a laterally projecting bracket 45 "and 'is downwardly spring-pressed by a coiled spring 46 compressed between said bracket and upper plate '11. The arm35 of one of the endor outside shafts-2l'has a projecting cam pin 47 that is engageable with th'ebracket 45 to raise the lock bolt 42.

T-hepinions 22' onthe upper ends of the several shafts 2l mesh with toothed sections of a curved rack bar 48 mounted to slide-on the top plate 13 (see igs. 3 andr7).

The numeral 49 indicates the 'voters op 'eratingcrank"whichis attached to the outer end of ashaft 50 mounted in suitable bear- Vided at'its inner end'witha spur gear 51, and at its intermediate portion, with a spiral ings' on the upper bearing plate-13 and pro- 31 from the exterior of the machine.

cam 52. This spiral cam 52 works between the prongs of a forked head 53 carried by a short upright rock shaft 54 mounted in'a suitable bearing on the plate 13. At its lower end, the shaft 54 has an arm 55 pivotally seated in a bearing 56 on the rack bar 48.

Normally, access to the key-holes 31 is cut ofi by a so-called cut-off bar 57 mounted to slide in suitable keepers on a shell plate 58 (see Figs. 6, 8 and 9) rigidly secured to the outer edges of plates 11. The plate 58 has perforations 59 that aline with the keyholes 31 and the cut-off plate 57 has perforations 60 adapted to be moved into and out of registration with said perforations 59, but normally out ofregistration therewith, so that access cannot be had tothe key-h gles he cut-off strip 57 is normally locked in its 7 closed position shown in Figs. 8 and 9, by a key-actuated lock device. This lock device prefer-ably comprises a Yale lock, the case 61 of which is secured to plate 58 and a rotary or tumbler member which has a crank 62 connected by a link 63 to the cut-off strip 57.

Operation.

As a preliminary in the preparation of the voting machine for use at a primary election, or for that matter, for use at any election, the cut-off strip 57, by manipulation ofthe tumbler crank 62 of the lock 61, is moved from the full line position, Fig. 8, into a position in which the key passages 60 will register with the key holes 31. This will set the cut-off stripso that the judge or attendant, by a suitable key, may manipulate the shafts 31, and thereby,'at will, move any one of the tumblers 30 from its normal position shown at the right in Fig. 2 into the position shown at the intermediate column Fig. It will be noted that in the normal position of the tumbler 30, the corresponding lock bar 27 is in a position to look all of the register actuators of the vertical roll or column, as shown at the right in Fig. 2. It is equally evident that when the said tumbler 30 is moved into the position shown inthe central group, Fig. 2, the said lock bar 27 is then set in a position to release all of the actuators of that group or corresponding vertical column of actuators.

Some colunmswvill be assigned for non partisian votes, such, for example, as constitutional amendments or for candidates representing no particular party but rather as candidates for all of the parties. For such oflice, one of the columns of register actuators must be assigned, and we will assume thatthe left hand column, Fig. 2, is assigned for that purpose. The lock bar 27 of this column is dropped down to a position below normal, so that it will release all of plates 12 and is subject to a leaf spring (55 (see particularly Figs. 5 and 6).

- In the use of the machine at primary elections, the voter may announce the party for whom he intends to cast his vote. Assume, for example, that the voter announces himself as Republican. In this case, the judge or attendant will turn the intermediate tumbler 30 from its normal position into the position shown in the central column, Fig. 2, thereby unlocking the actuators assigned to the central column and which is assumed to be assigned to the Republican candidates. The above noted movement of the tumbler 30 moves the corresponding shaft 31 and its head 37, thereby causing the lug 37 a of said head to enter the coiiperating notch 38 of lock bar 39 and impart to the said lock bar a movement from the position indicated by full lines into the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 5. This movement of the lock bar 39 carries the unbroken upper surface of the said lock bar under all of the lugs 37 of the heads 37 which remain in normal position, or, in other words, which remain not moved at the time that the first selector rocker 30 was moved. Hence, as is evident, the operation of the first tumbler 30 will look all of the other tumblers against movement with their cotiperating lock bars 27 in their normal actuator locking positions. Thus by the very act of selecting and unlocking actuators for one of the political parties, it is made impossible to release or actuate the register actuators of any other political party represented on the ticket. Hence, it, of course, follows that the key for operating tumbler 30 and shaft 31 may be given to the voter and the voter allowed to make his own selection of party without an nouncing the same to the udge.

\Vhen lock bar 39 is moved by the first 1 operated tumbler 30, as just described, it will be moved from left to right, in respect to Fig. 5, or from right to left, in respect to Fig. 2, and the bevel notch 40 will cam itself out of engagement with pin 44 of lock bolt 42, and said lock pin42 will then become antomaticallyengaged with rectangular notch 41 of said bar 39, thereby positively locking said bar 39, against sliding movements in either direction. 7 I

After the voter has set the registers representing his entire vote and desires to cast the vote, he will signal the judge, who releases a certain look, not necessary here to consider, but more fully disclosed and 130 claimed in my companion application entitled Voting machine, and then the voter effects the casting of his vote by moving the voters operating crank 49 from its position indicated by full lines in Figs. 1 and 3 into the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. Under this movement of said crank, a good many different actions take place, amongwhich is the re-setting of the register actuators to normal position, as more fully 1 disclosed and claimed in my companion application entitled, Keyboard mechanism.

Movement of the voters crank 49 from normal position to dotted lineposition, is limited by a fixed stop 49 on the machine case. Movement of said crank in the first instance, from the upper side of said stop 49 to the underside of said stop, causes cam 52, operating on bifurcated head 53, to rock shaft 54 and its arm 55, thereby imparting an endwise movement to curved rack 48, in a direction from left toward the right, in respect to Fig. 3. This movement of said rack 48 operates pinions 22 of the several resetting shafts 21. Under this movement, lugs 25 of hubs 18 engage lugs 26 of levers 15 and restore set actuators to normal positions, and moreover, the first part of the above noted movement of the rack bar 48 causes cam pin 47 of arm to engage cam bracket 45 of lock bolt 42 and thereby lift the pin 44 0f the latter so as to release the sliding lock bar 39. This pin 47 maintains engagement with bracket 45 and holds lock bolt 42 raised for a considerable period of time, during which period of time, the central ratchet-acting cam wheel 32, moving in the direction to carry the oblique surfaces of its teeth forward, (see Fig. 2), raises nose 30 of the tumbler 30, and thereby rocks said tumbler-into its normal position, which normal position is shown at the right in Fig. 2. This movement of the central tumbler 30 back to normal position, as just stated, takes place while lock 42 is released and it performs two functions, to wit, it moves lock bar 27 back to its normal actuator locking position and it causes lug 3'? to restore lock bar 39 to its normal position, in which position, the said lock bar will then be again locked by engagement of lock pin 44 of bolt 42 with notch 40 of said lock bar 39.

When voters lever 49 is moved back to normal position, rack bar 48 will be given reverse movement and shafts 21 will be given reverse oscillation, thereby carrying lugs 25 of collars 18 to position indicated by full lines in Fig. 10, and in which positions, said lugs permit operation or setting of the respective actuators.

It is sometimes desirable and necessary to connect a multiplicity of columns to represent a political party; and this arrangement for primary elections, requires coupling to-- gether of the rock shafts 31 of the several columns, so that when one of the said rock shafts is moved, all three will be simultaneously moved. This can be accomplished in a very simple manner by the use 'of one or more links 66 (see Figs. 5 and 5 the ends of which are perforated and are adapted to be mounted pivotally on the pins 37 of the heads 37.

' In Fig. '1, the main frame of the machine isindicated, as an entirety, by the numeral 67 and the numeral 68 indicates folding wings adapted to constitute parts of the voting booths when opened up and adapted to cover up the keyboard mechanism when folded or closed. Also, Fig. 1 illustrates a multiplex voting machine of the general character disclosed and claimed broadly in my prior patent above identified.

What I claim is: 1

1. In a voting machine, the combination with several groups of register actuators, of actuator locks for the several groups of actuators, key-actuated means for operating said actuator locks, and a common lock operated by the first key-actuated actuator-lock, to look all other actuator locks against movement. i

2. In a voting machine, the combination with a multiplicity of groups of register actuators, of-a lock bar for each group of actuators normally locking the same, keyactuated means for moving said lock bars into releasing positions, and means whereby movement of one of said lock bars will look all of the other lock bars in their normal actuator-locking positions.

3. In avoting machine, the combination with a plurality of groups of register actuators, of lock bars for each group of actuators normally locking the same, key-actuated means for independently'releasing said lock bars, a common lock bar'for the said several actuator -lock bars normally permitting movement of'one of the said actuator lock bars but arranged to be set by the movement 110 of the first thereof, to lock all other actuator-locking bars in their'normal actuatorlocking positions.

4. In a voting machine, the combination with several groups of register actuators, of 115 actuator locks for the several groups of actuators, key-actuated means for operating said actuator locks, a common lock operated\by the first key-actuated actuator-lock, to look all other actuator locks against movement, 12 0 and a lock-controlled cut-off strip movable to and from a position in which it will cut oil access to key-actuated means.

5. In a voting machine, the combination with several groups of register actuators, of 125 actuator-locks for the several groups of actuators, key-actuated means for operating said actuator-locks, a common lock operated by the first key-actuated actuator-lock to look all of the other actuators locked against 130 movement, a voters crank and connections whereby movement of the latter will. restore set actuators to normal position and Will also restore to normal position the said actuator-locks and the common lock therefor.

6. In a voting machine, the combination With several groups of register actuators, of actuator locks for the several groups of actuators, key-actuated means for operating said 10 actuator locks, and a common lock cooperatively associated with the mechanism noted and set for action in respect to the first actuator look.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

SYVER LOE.

Witnesses:

CLARA Dmmnns'r, BERNICE G. VHEELER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. 0. 

